The invention relates to apparatus for distributing liquid or dry yard treatment materials, more particularly to an apparatus using a portable blower for distributing the material to a treatment area using an air flow generated by the blower through a blower tube which may be used with new or existing equipment.
Heretofore, various devices have been known for the application of liquid or dry materials for lawn, plants, gardens and the like, wherein a dry or liquid material is either mixed with a water or air stream. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,996 discloses an attachment for a portable leaf blower for distributing a pesticide dust. U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,327 discloses a hand held blower which distributes a granular fertilizer using a discharge air stream from the blower. The device requires a venturi throat for providing a vacuum source for drawing the fertilizer particles into the air stream. U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,278 discloses a portable garden powder duster. U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,441 discloses a hopper feeder for a portable blower for dispensing a powder material into an air flow. U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,459 discloses a sprayer attachment for leaf blower which dispenses a liquid insecticide.
While the above prior art has certain suitable characteristics, they do not provide a simple, easy to use, and reliable apparatus for dispensing a liquid and/or dry lawn treatment material either as a new or a retrofit an existing yard blower.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a portable yard blower having a blower tube through which an air flow is created in which a liquid or dry material may be easily and reliably dispensed.
Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for retrofitting an existing yard blower for distributing a liquid or dry treatment material in an easy and convenient manner.
Another object of the invention is to provide an air blower having a blower tube through which an air flow is generated and a liquid and/or dry material may be dispensed using gravity feed eliminating the need for relatively complex feeding mechanisms.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an air blower having effective feeding of a dry and/or liquid yard treatment material at an effective portion of the air stream so that the material is effectively distributed to the lawn or other treatment area.